The Cinquantenaire Park in Brussels will remain open until 24 hours before a ceremony marking 250 years of United States independence on 28 June, Mayor Philippe Close confirmed on Monday evening.
Close was addressing concerns raised by Ecolo councillor Benedetta Del Marté, who expressed unease over the security arrangements for the event.
Del Marté questioned whether the event’s requirements might lead to the park being closed as early as 22 June.
The mayor clarified that this would not happen. He stated that private security teams might conduct checks during the setup period but only within the boundaries of the law.
He further emphasised that the park’s closure would be limited to the day before the event.
Regarding traffic, Close indicated that the Cinquantenaire tunnel might be closed temporarily during the evening fireworks display planned for the ceremony.
However, the mayor was unable to provide details about the scale of police presence, as that would depend on the potential size of protests surrounding the event.
